Critical Geographies John Connell Chris Gibson Soundtracks Popular Music Identity And Place

Soundtracks traces the relationships between music, space and identity-from inner city 'scenes' to the music of nations-to give a wide-ranging perspective on popular music. It examines the influence of cultures, economics, politics and technology on the changing structure and geographies of music at local and global levels. Taking music from its role as an expression of local culture in indigenous societies to its gradual evolution towards a global music industry, this work pays particular attention to the complex spread of world music from reggae to zouk and beyond. Containing an impressive and comprehensive range of global case studies Soundtracks takes an innovative approach to the complex and changing relationships between music and space to provide a genuine global assessment of the power and pleasure of popular music in its many forms. "Sound Tracks is the first comprehensive book on the new geography of popular music, examining the complex links between places, music and cultural identities. It provides an interdisciplinary perspective on local, national and global scenes, from the 'Mersey' and 'Icelandic' sounds to 'world music', and explores the diverse meanings of music in a range of regional contexts." "Sound Tracks traces the ways in which music has informed complex globalisations, the role of companies and technology in diffusion, innovation and commercialism and the wider significance of cultural industries. It links migration and mobility to new musical practices, whether in 'developing' countries of metropolitan centres, and traces the recent rise of 'music tourism'. It examines issues of authenticity and credibility, and the quest for roots within different musical genres, from buskers to brass bands, and from rap to rai. Sound Tracks emphasises music's contributions to the contradictions, illusions and celebrations of contemporary life. It situates music and the music industry within spatial theories of globalisation and local change: fixity and fluidity entangled." "In a world of intensified globalisation, links between space, music and identity are increasingly tenuous, yet places give credibility to music, not least in the 'country', and music is commonly linked to place, through claims to tradition, 'authenticity' and originality, and as a marketing device. This book develops new perspectives on these relationships and how they are situated within cultural and geographical thought."--Jacket "Sound Tracks traces the ways in which music has informed complex globalisations, the role of companies and technology in diffusion, innovation and commercialism and the wider significance of cultural industries. It links migration and mobility to new musical practices, whether in 'developing' countries or metropolitan centres, and traces the recent rise of 'music tourism'. It examines issues of authenticity and credibility, and the quest for roots within different musical genres, from buskers to brass bands, and from rap to rai. Sound Tracks emphasises music's contributions to the contradictions, illusions and celebrations of contemporary life. It situates music and the music industry within spatial theories of globalisation and local change : fixity and fluidity combined. In a world of intensified globalisation, links between space, music and identity are increasingly tenuous, yet places give credibility to music, not least in the 'country', and music is commonly linked to place, through claims to EEn......Page 1 Front Cover......Page 2 Back Cover......Page 3 TOC......Page 6 Illustrations......Page 7 Preface......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 11 1 - Into the Music......Page 12 2 - Music and Place - 'Fixing authenticity'......Page 30 3 - Music and Movement - Overcoming space......Page 56 4 - The Place of Lyrics......Page 82 5 - Sounds and Scenes - A place for music?......Page 101 6 - Music Communities - National identity, ethnicity and place......Page 128 7 - New Worlds - Music from the margins?......Page 155 8 - A World of Flows - Music, mobility and transnational soundscapes......Page 171 9 - Aural Architecture - The spaces of music......Page 203 10 - Marketing Place - Music and tourism......Page 232 11 - Terra Digitalia? - Music, copyright and territory in the information age......Page 262 12 - The Long and Winding Road.........Page 281 Bibliography......Page 293 Index......Page 318 Sound Tracks is the first comprehensive book on the new geography of popular music, examining the complex links between places, music and cultural identities. It provides an interdisciplinary perspective on local, national and global scenes, from the 'Mersey' and 'Icelandic' sounds to 'world music', and explores the diverse meanings of music in a range of regional contexts. In a world of intensified globalisation, links between space, music and identity are increasingly tenuous, yet places give credibility to music, not least in the 'country', and music is commonly linked to place, as a stake to originality, a claim to tradition and as a marketing device. This book develops new perspectives on these relationships and how they are situated within cultural and geographical thought. Into The Music -- Music And Place : 'fixing Authenticity' -- Music And Movement : Overcoming Space -- The Place Of Lyrics -- Sounds And Scenes : A Place For Music? -- Music Communities : National Identity, Ethnicity, And Place -- New Worlds : Music From The Margins? -- A World Of Flows : Music, Mobility, And Transnational Soundscapes -- Aural Architecture : The Spaces Of Music -- Marketing Place : Music And Tourism -- Terra Digitalia? : Music, Copyright, And Territory In The Information Age -- The Long And Winding Road--. John Connell And Chris Gibson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 282-306) And Index. This book explores the many ways in which popular music is spatial - linked to particular geographical sites, bound up in our everyday perceptions of place, and a part of movements of people, products and cultures across space.